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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25998061">Comfort in a Storm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyRadioactive15/pseuds/TotallyRadioactive15'>TotallyRadioactive15</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>#Ballum - Fluff [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EastEnders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Cuddles, Fluff, M/M, Tears</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:14:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,202</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25998061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyRadioactive15/pseuds/TotallyRadioactive15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Callum comforts Ben after a thunderstorm.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>#Ballum - Fluff [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Comfort in a Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>***'You have reached Callum Highway, I'm sorry I cannot take your call at the moment, but please leave a message after the tone. BEEP!'***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>'Oh for fuck sake! Callum! Answer your phone.,, I've been trying you for ages' Ben moaned into his phone before slamming it down on top of the wooden table just as the lightening rumbled again causing Ben to practically jumping out of his seat. </p>
<p>He pulled Callum's grey hoodie around his small body more tightly before turning his phone over to check the time. Callum should be on his way home now he thought before trying to call him again getting frustrated as he reached the answerphone for the 3rd time in a row. Not to mention the 10 other calls he had made to Callum's phone throughout the evening.  </p>
<p>He got up from the wooden chair and walked tot the kitchen. switching the kettle on and pulling down a mug. </p>
<p>The thunder banged again loudly causing him to jump. The mug he had been holding slipped out of his grip and Ben watched it shatter on the floor beneath him. He gripped onto the edge of the counter steadying in himself as the roar of the thunder echoed inside the tiny space. </p>
<p>He looked down to the floor and then slowly got onto his knees. He spent the next few minutes picking up all of the pieces of the mug and sliding them into the bin.<br/>
Luck apparently was not on his side as as another bolt of lightning light up the room he picked up a piece that had a rather sharp edge, cutting the soft skin of his index finger. </p>
<p>'Fuck!' He moaned dropping the shard quickly and shoved his finger into his mouth tasting that familiar metallic of his own blood. He shivered. </p>
<p>He picked up the last of the shards pushing them into the bin before getting up from the floor and hunting around the cupboards for plasters.<br/>
Finally finding some Disney princess ones he pulled down another mug and eventually managed to make himself a hot chocolate.<br/>
This was something Callum always did for him when they where together and there was a storm</p>
<p>He tiptoed out of the kitchen and decided to settle in the bed, keeping the hoodie firmly wrapped around his body. He brought the duvet up to his chin as he cradled the hot mug in his hands, carefully taking a sip every few seconds. </p>
<p>It was only when he heart the sound of his mobile ringing from where he had left it on the dining table that he jumped. He pushed the mug on top of the bedside table and pulled himself back out of the bed, running to the tablet to grab his phone. </p>
<p>The thunder banged loudly again and he felt a shiver run down his spine when he heart the wind and the rain catapult at the building, he let out an unexpected yelp when the lights flickered one and off until they blew completely.<br/>
He gripped onto the table and fumbled around for his phone turning it over as the phone stopped ringing. </p>
<p>'No!' He sighed as hot tears started to fall down his cheeks. He sunk to the floor leaning up against the hard wooden leg of the table, gripping tightly to his phone. </p>
<p>'Callum' He whispered trying to call his phone again and again. </p>
<p>Throwing his phone across the room he brought up his legs and hugged them closely to his body as the thunder started again. the lights flickered as the rain hit the windows. </p>
<p>He tried to forget. Forget where he was, but every time he tried the lightning would remind him. The tears ran down quicker than before as he cuddled his cold body, pushing the cuff of the sleeve into his mouth for some comfort. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>'Baby?' Callum's voice sounded at the bottom of the stairs. </p>
<p>Callum ran up the stairs as the lights blew again. He sighed and got out his phone switching the light on as he navigated his way into the flat.<br/>
He noticed that one of the windows had blown open so his first port of call was to pull it closed. It was only when he turned around did he notice Ben on the floor, his back against the dinning room table rocking slowly backwards and forwards. </p>
<p>He walked forward gently picking up Ben's phone that had travelled the length of the room, he placed it on the coffee table before heading towards Ben. </p>
<p>'Ben? sweetheart? you okay?' Callum asked loudly kneeing down onto the floor so he could maintain eye contact with the small frightened man. He would never admit it but storms scared the life out of him. </p>
<p>Callum pressed the palm of his hand to Ben's wet cheek brining his head up.<br/>
'Callum!' Ben cried realizing who was now in front of him and launching into his arms. </p>
<p>'I've got you now baby... I'm here' Callum whispered as he rubbed Ben's back soothingly<br/>
'Put your arms around my neck and hold on tight' Callum whispered into Ben's ear as he pulled Ben up securing his arms around his waist and walking him back into the bedroom. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Ben opened his eyes and looked around the room. The room was dark but the bedside table lights where on which made the room feel calming. he looked around realizing he was now not wearing Callum's hoody but instead was wrapped up in Callum's arms, his body smooshed to his side and his head resting on Callum's chest. He pulled his head up and looked up at Callum who was on his phone </p>
<p>'Your awake?' Callum asked looking down at the small boy<br/>
'Maybe?' Ben asked pulling away from Callum and looking around the room.<br/>
'Is it still thundering?' Ben asked expecting to hear the rumble outside. </p>
<p>'Nope... it raining still but the thunder has stopped... I'm sorry I wasn't hear earlier... The storm caused signal failure on the line which backed up all of the tubes, and I didn't have any signal otherwise I would have answered the 13 missed calls and 25 text messages' Callum told him a laughing </p>
<p>'Whoops! Maybe I went a little bit overboard' Ben whispered burying his head into Callum's shoulder to giggle. </p>
<p>'Its okay baby... I'm sorry I wasn't here for you.... I noticed there was china on the floor in the kitchen... what happened? are you hurt?' Callum suddenly asked remembering what had concerned him earlier </p>
<p>'Oh no... Not I'm fine... apart from the cut finger' Ben told him holding up his index finger. Callum pulled it towards him and pressed a soft kiss on the top of it and then the sides kissing it better. </p>
<p>'Dropped a mug... sorry... I tried to clear it all up' Ben told him </p>
<p>'Its okay... I don't care about the mug... as long as your okay that's all that matters' Callum told him, running his hand through Ben's hair. </p>
<p>'How do you feel?' Callum asked<br/>
'Better now that your hear' Ben whispered cuddling himself further into Callum's side.<br/>
'Don't leave me again' Ben told him causing them both to laugh as they cuddled into each other for the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos &amp; Comments are really appreciated<br/>xxx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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